Blueprint for Efficiency: An 80x50 Buildings Partnership Report

The first 80x50 Buildings Partnership report, the Blueprint for Efficiency, delivers a groundbreaking framework to cut carbon in New York City’s large buildings. A collaborative effort from the city’s leading building and energy stakeholders, the Blueprint calls for a 20 percent reduction in energy use by 2030, driving NYC buildings 36 percent of the way to their 80x50 target.The 80x50 Buildings Partnership is a collaboration between leading New York City stakeholders to develop smart climate change policies. Recognizing the need for extensive engagement to develop the most impactful and thoughtful policy, Urban Green brought together more than 70 individuals from over 40 organizations from the real estate, labor, energy efficiency, nonprofit and government sectors.

The result of eight months of discussion and 85 meetings, the Blueprint provides a practical policy framework to reduce emissions in large buildings by 2030, as well as the infrastructure to deliver improvements at scale through 2050. Twenty-one detailed proposals shape this world-leading energy performance policy, including:

Requiring each building sector to save 20 percent in source energy use from 2020 to 2030

Creating a metric based on Energy Star calibrated to NYC building data

Regulating all energy sources together, with smaller reductions required of more efficient buildings

Including flexible compliance pathways, such as green power purchase and efficiency credit trading

Dramatically expanding support and financing options to help owners comply, with particular focus on sectors that need more help

For the complete list of proposals, as well as information about the Partnership process, download the report below. In-depth discussions of each recommendation are also available in the Detailed Proposals document below.